After a Dead Dog [Paperback]

Colin Murray (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 24, 2007

Iain Lewis is a complex man, a part time poet hacking out a living writing the occasional TV script from his small isolated cottage in Kintyre on the west coast of Scotland. One of the many complications in his life is that he still carries a torch for his one-time sweetheart, Carole, who has returned to the area with her husband to help run the family business. And it's after the funeral of Carole's mother that Iain's problems really begin. On his way back home he interrupts what appears to be a break-in at his house. Only it's a break-in with a difference: the intruder hasn't taken anything. On the contrary, he's left something extremely valuable behind. And it's something that other people want back very badly. This is an atmospheric Scottish novel about a man caught up in mysterious criminal activities which take him from the isolation of life in remote Kintyre to the seamy streets of Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Set on the west coast of Scotland, Murray's promising debut thriller reunites Iain Lewis, a poet turned intermittently employed sitcom writer, with his married ex-girlfriend, Carole, at her mother's funeral. Carole is trapped in an unhappy marriage with Irish mob-connected Duncan Ferguson, who now runs her family's fisheries business. Both her parents died under mysterious circumstances, and her enigmatic brother, Martin, is clearly hiding something. After the wake, Iain returns home to find his house burgled and a briefcase containing a gun, cocaine and cash left behind. Iain doesn't trust the local constable, so he seeks help from a hard-drinking buddy, Glasgow crime reporter Dougie Henderson. Iain later comes upon the body of "harmless alkie" Danny McGovern on a deserted beach, and soon finds himself stalked by two thugs linked to Ferguson. Murray delivers pounding suspense with a violent if not completely surprising conclusion. (May)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

Iain Lewis, onetime budding poet and occasional writer of television scripts, lives in an isolated cottage on the west coast of Scotland. When his former girlfriend, Carole, returns to the area with her husband to help run the family business, Iain must face the fact that he is still in love with her. He visits her family and notes that Carole's husband has some unsavory business associates. When Carole's mother dies suddenly, Iain attends that funeral and returns home to find that someone has broken into his home. Rather than stealing something, the intruder has left a mysterious briefcase behind. Someone wants whatever is inside badly, so Iain must protect himself and find out why he was set up. The local police officer has it in for him, forcing him to depend on friends for help. This is a strong debut with full-bodied characters, an intriguing plot, and lots of Scottish atmosphere. It will appeal to readers of hard-boiled as well as cozy mysteries. Barbara Bibel
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Robinson Publishing (May 24, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 184529548X
• ISBN-13: 978-1845295486
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.4 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,563,849 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars Found it a slog, November 1, 2011

By 

K. W. Benson "kvom" (Georgia, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: After a Dead Dog: Dangerous Love, Dark Secrets, Sudden Death (Hardcover)

The writing is skillful, but the plot is contrived. I kept having the feeling that the author was being paid by the word and so kept putting in extras.

I'm still wondering where the title came from.

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent read!, May 29, 2007

By 

chococat (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: After a Dead Dog: Dangerous Love, Dark Secrets, Sudden Death (Hardcover)

Colin Murray's first novel is brilliant. He evokes the dreary, ancient atmosphere of Scotland in November and peppers his story with believable, albeit somewhat evil, characters. His main character, Iain Lewis, is fully realized. Lots of humor here and an amazingly told story. I burned through this book in a week (that's quick for me)! Highly recommended!